


Reflections Of A Dying Man

by Only_In_December



Category: Perry Mason - All Media Types
Genre: (the Della/Burger ship is already established. They've been dating for a while at this point.), Burger-centric, Gen, Hurt Hamilton Burger, I actually like him, Modern AU, Non-covid modern AU, Probably Not Medically Accurate, because what other kind of Perry Mason fics would I be writing?, believe it or not, but since when do I write non-Burger-centric Perry Mason fics?, gun shot wounds, injured, no beta we die like men, speed limits are for chumps, this is my first attempt at this kind of fic please be nice, we stan Hamilton Burger in this household
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:09:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27814333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Only_In_December/pseuds/Only_In_December
Summary: “This is for Perry Mason, and all of his clients that you tried to wrong. It’s time for justice to be delivered.”Hamilton Burger is shot by a rabid Perry Mason fan in his office. Della worries, Paul drives, Perry feels guilty. How do you handle something like this, when it's your courtroom rival that you only see outside work when he's with your secretary?
Relationships: Hamilton Burger/Della Street
Comments: 6
Kudos: 3





	Reflections Of A Dying Man

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Deaths_mortal_enemy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deaths_mortal_enemy/gifts).



> This is a little different than the fics I usually write....I wanted to try something a little different. I read h/c and injured character fics all the time, so I figured I'd try writing one...I think that I did it right.
> 
> (Disclaimer: Please remember that I'm not hugely into Perry Mason. I've seen a fair number of the original series, but I've never read any of the books or anything like that. But anything I didn't already know, I did look up. I didn't make up anything I didn't need to.)

The sun shone brightly in the personal office of District Attorney Hamilton Burger, he was busy looking over cases, and messages, and all the other boring things that come with being DA. He didn’t notice when someone entered the office unannounced. “Hamilton Burger?” Hamilton looked up, confused.

“Who are you? How did you get in here?” Hamilton started to stand up, when the other person pulled out a gun and he sat back down.

“This is for Perry Mason, and all of his clients that you tried to wrong. It’s time for justice to be delivered.” Hamilton was still trying to process the threat, when a shot rang through the office. The small zippy sound of a muffled gun. Closely followed by a cheerful ringtone.

Hamilton’s assailant ran as soon as the shot was fired. He reached for his phone, he knew even before checking the caller ID who was calling him. “Hey Del. What’s up?” Hamilton looked at the wound in his abdomen, there was now a large flowering red spot on his previously white dress shirt.

_“Hey Hamilton! Paul was just telling me that there’s this rumor about some wild Perry supporter who’s out for your blood.”_ Della sounded nervous, worried.

“Hate to be the bearer of bad news dear, but Drake has some of the best resources in town.” Hamilton looked around his office to try to find something to help stop the bleeding. “Besides, I can most definitely confirm the rumors right now.” At this point he decided to just press on the wound with his free hand, blood seeped lazily between his fingers.

_“What’s that supposed to mean!? Are you okay!? What happened!?”_ Della shouted in his ear.

“I mean that, the individual in question came to my office, and shot me. I’ll be fine, if I can get to a hospital.” Hamilton was trying to comfort his girlfriend, and keep himself thinking rationally. “Could you call 911 for me, Love?” He asked. He could hear her shout something at Drake and Mason.

_“We’re on our way to your office now. Paul’s calling you an ambulance, we’ll be there as soon as we can.”_ Della’s voice didn’t waver, didn’t crack. Hamilton appreciated how calm she sounded.

“Good. Sorry that I can’t take you out like I planned to tonight.” He apologized, they were going to go somewhere nice for their four month anniversary, but it seemed that _that_ was going to have to be put off until later. He was irritated, he knew how much Della was looking forward to it.

_“Oh, don’t worry about that Hamilton. I understand. Getting shot does put a hold on all prior plans.”_ She didn’t sound nearly as disappointed in the cancellation as he felt.

“Rain-check then?”

_“Rain-check. As soon as you feel all better, we’ll go somewhere even better. Promise.”_ Della let out a soft, humorless chuckle. _“Ham, do you think you’re in shock?”_

“Poss-sibly. I can’t real-lly tell though.” He was doing his best to stop his own stomach from bleeding out, and it hurt. He let up on the pressure a little to see if that would make it feel any better.

_“Okay. It’ll be fine, Ham. Paul’s driving so we should be there in just a few more minutes. Perry’s called an ambulance, they should be there around the same time. You’ll be fine.”_ He could hear a smile in her voice, though it sounded like a sad one. He still held onto the mental image of her smile, sad or otherwise.

“Okay Del. Just a few more minutes.” He repeated back to her. He could hear the screeching of tires through the phone. “Please remind Drake that there _is_ a speed limit.” Della laughed at that.

_“Paul says that speed limits are for chumps.”_ Hamilton laughed at that, a laugh that quickly turned into a cough. _“We’re pulling in the drive now. We’ll be right up in a minute okay Hamilton?”_ Della sounded like she was perched on the very edge of her seat, the image made Hamilton smile for some reason.

“Ok-kay Del-l. I’m-m here.” He tried to keep a light tone, but it was getting harder. He looked down at the wound again, and noticed how the blood was getting all over his nice office chair. “Do you think they’ll be able to get the blood out of my chair?” The question blurted out before he could really think about it.

_“I dunno. If they can’t I’ll buy you a new one, okay babe?”_ She sounded like she was running now. _“You should be seeing Perry, and Paul soon.”_ Poor Della, she sounded so out of breath.

Just like Della predicted the two men appeared in Hamilton’s doorway after a couple seconds. “Oh, Hamilton.” Drake said as he rushed forward. “Geez Louise.” He muttered under his breath. Then louder said, “this doesn’t look so bad, does it Perry?” Mason seemed glued to the doorway, color drained from his face. “Perry? You okay?”

“Someone shot him Paul. Someone shot him, and left him here.” Mason walked over slowly, still looking pale. “Hamilton, are you still on the phone with Della?” Mason and Drake started applying more pressure to the still bleeding wound.

“No she hung up when she came in the room.” Hamilton gestured to the woman who was now standing next to Mason.

“Oh. Della, I need you to go back downstairs and direct the Paramedics up here when they arrive.” Mason didn’t look away from the bleeding wound, but Hamilton saw the look on Della’s face.

“Del, it’s oka-ay. Go-o on.” Hamilton tried to reassure her that it would be fine.

“Ham, I’m staying right here. Perry can meet the Paramedics himself.” She shot Mason another look. “I’m not leaving your side until I’m forced to.”

Hamilton couldn’t help but smile at that.

“I love you too Del.” He said softly. Mason looked fifteen times more uncomfortable now.

“Fine. Della you stay up here, I’ll run down to meet the Paramedics. I think I can hear them now.” Perry said much quicker than Hamilton had ever heard him speak before, the man ran out the office door.

“There’s someth-something wrong wi-ith Per-rry.” Hamilton knit his eyebrows and looked at Drake. “He s-seems real-lly upset.”

“Yeah. I know Hammy. I think he’s a little in shock over all this.” The sound of sirens was getting closer, and Hamilton sighed heavily. His eyes were getting heavier, breathing was getting harder. “Hold on a little longer Hammy. Help’s almost here. Just a little longer Hammy.” Drake muttered, pressing harder on the wound, Hamilton distantly wondered if it should hurt more. “I can hear ‘em now. Hamilton if you die here, I’m grabbing your soul and stuffing it back in your body like one of those kids cartoons!”

“‘M not go-onna di-ie her-re Pau-aul. Just tir-red.” Hamilton’s eyes were slipping closed, he could hear Della and Drake yelling at him, but at this point he couldn’t make out their words. It seemed like he was being surrounded by darkness.

  
  


* * *

Della was terrified, as soon as Hamilton closed his eyes she knew. She grabbed his hand and felt for a pulse in his wrist. “Paul! I can’t find a pulse! Is he?” She couldn’t even bring herself to finish her question.

“Della. He’s not dead yet, I can see him breathing.” Paul’s voice was hollow. “And ‘sides, he has too much to live for.” Della squeezed Hamilton’s hand tighter.

A couple minutes later, Perry came running in with several Paramedics. He took one look at Hamilton’s unmoving body and ran right back out the door. Della looked at Paul. “I’ll go check on him.” He whispered to her. Della was left alone watching the Paramedics work on her unconscious boyfriend.

“He’s gonna be okay, right?” She asked in a quavering voice.

  
“That’s the hope ma’am. But we need to get him to the hospital _now_.” The Paramedic looked at her, “Ma’am, he’s lost a lot of blood. I need you to take a step back so we can get him out of here.” Della complied automatically, stepping back and letting them through. Hamilton now on a stretcher.

“Can I ride with him? In the ambulance? I’m his girlfriend.” Della asked quickly, following them out of the office.

“That’s fine, but you won’t be able to sit in the back, you’d just get in the way there. You can ride in the cab though.” One Paramedic answered her. Della nodded quickly, if that’s what it took. She just wanted to be near her boyfriend. She’d need to call Paul once they were on the road, so that he and Perry would know where they were going.

She bit her lip and hoped that everything would be okay.

  
  


* * *

Paul and Perry were sitting on the bathroom floor. They could hear all the commotion going on, but didn’t make any move to join it. “Perry. It’s not on you. We both know that. Hamilton won’t blame you either.” Paul said after a moment. Turning his head to look the defense lawyer in the face.

“You say that now Paul. But you don’t understand. I may not have pulled the trigger, but in a way, I loaded the gun. Something I said or did, inspired someone to shoot Hamilton Burger in cold blood.” Perry looked like he was going to be sick. His voice was soft, and he was shaking slightly.

“ _Perry_. You _did not_ load the gun. Not even _metaphorically_. Okay? Some _sick_ , _twisted_ , _horrible_ son of a motherless goat did. Some people are just wrong, this _person_ took something you said, and twisted it to what _they_ wanted it to mean. Trust me here, _you_ didn’t do anything. We’ll catch this _sicko_ , and make sure they spend _the rest of their life_ behind bars.” Paul had to resist the urge to smack his best friend in the face. Perry didn’t look convinced.

“You can’t know that Paul. What if it really was on me?” Perry asked, leaning his head back against the wall. “I don’t think I can live with this in my conscience.”

“Trust me Perry. It’ll be okay.” Paul reached an arm out, to pat Perry on the shoulder, when his phone started ringing. “Just one second Perry, it’s Della.” Paul stood up to answer the call. “Hey Della. Is everything going alright?”

_“Paul, I’m in the ambulance with Ham now. We’re headed to Royal Heritage Hospital, if you want to meet us there. I don’t know how he’s doing now, but we’re hoping that he’s gonna be fine.”_ Della’s voice gave away the fact that she had been crying immediately.

“Alright. Perry and I will meet you there. I’m sure that he’s gonna be fine Della.” Paul wanted to wrap the woman up in a hug, but that would have to wait.

_“Okay. See you there Paul. Thank you for everything. Bye.”_ Della’s voice shook a little bit as she said goodbye.

“See you there. Bye Della.” Paul hung up, and held out a hand for Perry. “Come on Perry, we need to be there for Dels. She’s been crying.” He felt bad for guilt-tripping, he really did. But there was no other way to get Perry to listen. Perry grabbed Paul’s outstretched hand, and the two of them made their way back to Paul’s car.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay. Please tell me if you liked this, please tell me if you hated it. Please tell me if you think I should do this sort of fic more often, or even, please tell me if you think I should never do anything even marginally similar to this ever again.
> 
> TLDR; Give me comments pretty please.


End file.
